The Reaper
by SLynn
Summary: The third woman in three months has just died horrifically by a killer the press call ‘The Reaper’. Both shifts must now work together before the killer strikes again. Warning: slash Greg&Nick Officially on hold
1. The Door Was Open

**The Reaper by SLynn**

**Rating: **R

**Season: **Five**  
Spoilers: **Up to 'Spark of Life'  
**Pairings:** Greg/Nick

**Warnings:** Slash/Violent Content/Disturbing Images

**Disclaimer: **No I don't own them, I just occasionally borrow them for my own twisted purposes.

**Summary: **The third woman in three months has just died horrifically by a killer the press call 'The Reaper'. Both shifts must now work together before the killer strikes again.

_Love of two is one  
Here but now they're gone  
Came the last night of sadness  
And it was clear she couldn't go on  
Then the door was open and the wind appeared  
The candles blew then disappeared  
The curtains flew then he appeared (saying don't be afraid)  
Come on baby (and she had no fear)  
And she ran to him (then they started to fly)  
They looked backward and said goodbye (she had become like they are)  
She had taken his hand (she had become like they are)  
Come on baby (don't fear the reaper)_

'_**Don't Fear the Reaper' by Blue Oyster Cult**_

**Chapter 1: The Door Was Open**

_The room was perfectly set._

_Candles. Roses. Wine._

_It was all there._

_All waiting._

_Amber smiled as she moved about the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the main course. Alan would be home soon and they could begin the official celebration._

_Amber retreated to the bedroom to change into the little black dress Alan loved and not much else. She carefully put on the diamond earrings he'd given her for their last anniversary and sprayed his favorite perfume across her wrists._

_But her perfect evening was about to end._

_Coming out of the bedroom humming a tune she stopped in her tracks._

"_What…who are you?" she stuttered at the stranger standing in her living room near the patio door._

"_Does he have a name for you?"_

"_Get out of my house," Amber said loudly, still afraid but determined not to show it._

"_Does he?" the stranger repeated moving forward._

_It was then Amber saw it. She saw the weapon raised and she panicked._

"_Get out," she said stumbling backwards._

"_I just want to know." _

"Get out," she screamed, tripping on the rug in her haste.

"_I have to know."

* * *

_

Greg and Sara rolled up on the scene together.

She flashed her crime scene badge to the officer standing guard at the driveway and he waved them both through. Greg, carrying both their cases as he always did without asking, ducked smoothly under the tape as Sara held it up.

"How bad do you think this one will be?" he asked her quietly as they made their way up the sidewalk.

"No telling," she said tightly.

The whole place was alive with CSIs. Two shifts worth: Catherine, Nick, Warrick, Sofia, Grissom and now the two of them. The townhouse was almost too small to hold them all.

"Good," Grissom said meeting them just inside the foyer, "Sara you're with me in the kitchen on this one. Greg, start a perimeter sweep. I want photos of every entrance to this place from at least three angles. Got it?"

"Yes sir," Greg said, handing Sara her case and heading back outside.

Sara gave him a fleeting smile, knowing he was disappointed. And he was. Grissom seemed to purposely be keeping him out of these scenes, like he was afraid Greg would lose it. And hell, maybe he would. The first 'Reaper' crime they'd rolled up on ten-year veteran cops were throwing up in the alley. Grissom had seen that and turned immediately to Greg and ordered him to the perimeter.

Sara, bless her, had tried to be reassuring and say that it was a sign of confidence. That Grissom must trust him in the field if he was letting him handle the outside alone. Greg had smiled at her tightly and tried to take it that way but half an hour later when Sofia joined him, just to see how he was doing, it seemed less like a vote of confidence and more like a sign of impending doom.

And tonight would be no different. Greg knew that. And sure enough, Greg had no sooner set his case down and put on his first pair of gloves when a voice came up from behind.

"You doing sweep with me tonight, Greggo?"

"Looks that way," he said turning and affecting his best 'I love my job' smile at Nick.

Nick smiled and shook his head as if reading his mind. Sometimes Greg wondered if he could.

"Hey," he said reassuringly, "we're more likely to find the key piece of evidence out here than in there."

Greg nodded, taking out his camera and once more trying to believe that.

That really wasn't far from true. This was the third scene and they'd be lucky if they got so much as a stray hair inside the home. Outside, on the second, the one that had been caught by swing shift, they'd found a partial shoe print outside the window but nothing more.

It was after that case that Catherine and Grissom had sat down and compared notes. Both crimes were nearly identical. Rage killings from the sheer violence of them but somehow not. They were planned. The victims almost certainly stalked. Both women, both discovered by significant others. Both nearly unrecognizable after the fact. Since then, and officially starting tonight, they'd been working together.

"So same means of entry?" Greg asked as he followed Nick around to the patio out back.

"Take a look," Nick answered.

Greg was careful to only step where Nick had, still trying to get use to watching his feet. He should be by now, but honestly, it was never something he'd thought of before. In his life.

Greg snapped off the first few pictures of the glass door, careful to get the whole thing in frame. Moving in he looked at it closer. Got snaps of both individual panels before getting even closer shots of the handle and the rails it slid on.

This time was different. Before the perp had been lucky enough to find an open or unlocked window or door to gain access. It looked like this time the perp had broken the smaller window next to the door allowing them an easy entrance. Greg took a few closer shots and stopped to look.

"Did you see this?" Greg asked taking out his tweezers from his vest.

"Haven't got there yet," Nick said leaning down and taking a look.

Hanging off the broken glass was a single thread of fiber.

"That's not hair," Nick said sounding disappointed.

"No," Greg said turning it over and bringing it closer, "it's some kind of fiber."

"Good catch."

Greg gave him a shrug before bagging it. Standing and snapping a few more shots of the entry point, he moved back.

"Come here," Nick said with a nod of his head. Nick walked around towards the fence, Greg close behind.

"Got another partial shoe print," he said pointing it out amongst the bushes.

Greg nodded and took a few pictures of it.

"You've done molds right?" Nick asked.

"What," Greg said smiling at him, "you think I'm a rookie at this?"

"I'm just asking," Nick returned good-naturedly. "Who knows what Sara has you doing, probably her paperwork right?"

"You'd be surprised," Greg said, still smiling as he bent down to get a closer shot.

"Would I?"

Greg looked up at him and tried to read his expression. Almost blushed at what Nick seemed to be implying.

"Don't start any crap," Greg said looking down at the print.

Nick laughed.

"You got this," he said once he'd stopped, "I'll go get the plaster."

Greg nodded and took out a marker before taking another couple shots. After that he stood and scanned the backyard. It was pretty basic. There was some patio furniture, a barbeque grill, and a tool shed.

Greg moved carefully to the back gate which was slightly ajar.

Taking more photos to document its state and ensure there was nothing on it first, Greg gently pushed it open and moved through the gate. There were two garbage cans there, both upside down and obviously empty. Greg took pictures of them regardless, stepping back to get them both in view. The alley was nearly completely black, the streetlight at the end flickering dimly.

Not quite able to get the shot he wanted, Greg continued to step backwards until his foot bumped into something.

Frowning, Greg took the camera from his eye and looked down over his shoulder and squinted into the dark.

"Greg," he heard loudly from the other side of the fence.

"I'm in the alley," he returned to Nick as he squatted down to get a better look at what he'd hit.

Taking a few pictures and cursing under his breath, Greg stood up as Nick joined him.

"I think I stepped on it," Greg said shaking his head.

He thought Nick might get pissed. Greg was, at himself, it was a stupid thing to do. But Nick didn't. He just turned on his flashlight and told him to hold still.

First he scanned the ground, took in the bloody pipe that was lying there before turning the light onto Greg's shoes.

"Back or front?" he asked.

"Back," Greg answered, "I was backing up."

Nick nodded and checked the heels of Greg's shoes.

"You're going to have to take them off."

Nick left momentarily to retrieve a large evidence bag. By the time he'd gotten back Greg was holding both shoes in his hand, standing in his socks, and looking very put out about it.

Nick held out the bag and let Greg put them inside before sealing it and indicating in pen the what and how of it.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Greg asked.

"We note it in the report," Nick started to answer, "Mark and document the evidence before…"

"Not that," Greg interrupted, "I have no shoes. I can't wander around a crime scene without shoes."

"You don't have a spare set in the car?"

"Is that a joke?" Greg asked back in disbelief.

Nick laughed and shook his head.

"I've got a spare set in my locker," Greg said knowing that did absolutely no good.

"Greg," he said waving him off, seeing the real panic start to set in Greg's eyes at the thought of having to walk around in socks all night. "I was joking."

Greg looked at him like he didn't believe it.

"Stay here," he said shaking his head, "I'll get you a set of boots. We keep them with the coveralls."

"Hurry," Greg called out, having not moved from the spot where he stood since taking off his shoes.

Nick was back pretty quickly and to Greg's mortification he wasn't alone.

"What'd you step in now?" Warrick asked with a smile.

"Oh man," Greg said, looking down and struggling to pull on the replacement footwear, "I'm never going to live this down am I?"

"No time soon," Nick answered.

Greg, his new boots a bit too big but wearable, now leaned down with the other two men to take a better look at the pipe.

"Hey but look on the bright side," Warrick offered, "It looks like you found the weapon."

"I thought the women were all stabbed?" Greg questioned.

"They were beaten first," Nick supplied, "Knocked unconscious with a blunt object."

"The perp was using an object in the homes," Warrick continued, "Whatever was handy to subdue the women. This, this looks like he brought it with him."

"First broken window we've found out of the three," Greg said nodding, "So they knew they'd need something like it to get in."

"Fits the theory that the guy is stalking these women," Nick said leaning in closer. "Hey, check this out."

Nick took out his own tweezers and pulled a fiber from the ridge of the pipe.

"Look familiar?" he asked Greg.

"Yeah," he said nodding, "Looks like the same kind I pulled from the window."

"Guys?" they heard from the gate.

The three of them turned at once to see Sara standing there.

"Grissom wants you all inside."

"Give us a minute," Warrick said to her in return. "Greg found what the guy used to break in and knock our victim out."

"Great," Sara said enthusiastically coming forward and forgetting they were supposed to be going in.

She hovered over the three of them as they finished the collection. Once done they all stood and moved to go back into the house. Greg hung back a moment, Sara waiting on him as well.

"Nice shoes," Sara said to Greg tapping him on the shoulder.

Greg just hung his head down and sighed making her laugh.

"It happens," she said reassuringly, having guessed what must have occurred just from the fact that he was carrying his normal pair in an evidence bag.

"Tell Grissom that."

"He'll tell you himself," she said evenly as the reached the door. "Really, you did the right thing. We all make a mistake or two. You didn't try to cover it up, that's what counts."

Greg gave her a weak smile.

"You ready for this?" she asked pausing at the door.

"It's bad then," he said nodding tightly.

Sara nodded in return, no trace of the smile previously gracing her face left.

"I'm ready," Greg said evenly, steadying himself.

"Let's go then."


	2. Take My Hand

**The Reaper by SLynn**

**Rating: **R

**Season: **Five**  
Spoilers: **Up to 'Spark of Life'  
**Pairings:** Greg/Nick

**Warnings:** Slash/Violent Content/Disturbing Images

**Disclaimer: **No I don't own them, I just occasionally borrow them for my own twisted purposes.

**Summary: **The third woman in three months has just died horrifically by a killer the press call 'The Reaper'. Both shifts must now work together before the killer strikes again.

**Notes:** Thanks to my great beta RivenSky! And FYI, this is going to be a long story. Thanks everyone for the reviews, I appreciate them as this is a new genre for me.

**Chapter 2: Take My Hand**

Greg was silent on the ride back to the lab, trying to rid himself of the images that continued to play in his head.

Amber Clemson, twenty-six years old, had been butchered, plain and simple.

Grissom had led them through the house, discussing what he thought had happened. That she must have been startled by her attacker, beaten repeatedly in the living room before being drug to the bedroom. Once there she'd been placed in the bed and stabbed so many times they were doubtful they'd ever get an exact count. The scene was then cleaned and staged like the last two.

Alan Jones, her fiancé, had found her that night.

"You okay?" Sara asked.

"I guess," he answered shaking his head, "I just, it's bad enough we saw it but can you imagine what it was like for that poor guy?"

"Remember that the first witness is usually the first suspect."

Greg shrugged but didn't buy it. Not this time. He knew Sara didn't really, that she was just trying to keep him objective, but he agreed with her nonetheless.

The lab was alive with activity.

Sara and Greg made their way to the locker room after dropping off their evidence appropriately, Warrick and Nick having beaten them there.

"Catherine and Grissom want us in the conference room ASAP," Warrick said standing to go.

Sara wasted no time putting her things away and heading out the door, leaving the two of them alone.

"You okay?" Nick asked, echoing Sara's sentiment from before.

"That was a lot of blood," Greg admitted, sinking down onto the bench pulling off the borrowed boots and replacing them with the spare pair of shoes from his locker.

Nick reached out and squeezed his shoulder, worried now. Greg looked up at him, attempted a smile, before putting his hand over Nick's.

"I'm fine," he said nodding and standing in one smooth movement, shoes in place. "I am."

"Alright," Nick said, backing up a bit and giving him some space. Knowing that's what he'd need. That and time. "Let's get going then; we're probably holding them up."

Greg nodded and moved with him towards the door.

They kept the conversation light as they headed out the door knowing they'd have plenty of time to talk later. In the seven months they'd been together they'd learned to rely on each other like that. It was a lot easier then Greg had ever dreamed it could be. Just being together. They'd had some problems, minor hiccups, but otherwise it was all smooth sailing.

Well, not exactly smooth. Nick had been worried about what people would say. Especially what people at work would say. Nick still worried but Greg honestly didn't care. They'd fought about it a few times, the biggest being when Greg had wanted them to go on vacation together several months back. It had ended up working out fine as Nick eventually agreed and with no one at work even noticing, or if they did they had thankfully kept their mouths shut. As far as either of them knew only Sara was aware of their relationship and that was because Greg had told her himself.

The irony of the situation was that people were talking, just not about Nick and Greg. They were talking about Sara and Greg. Their new friendship hadn't gone unnoticed. Most of the lab assumed they were the two involved, something none of them contradicted. First, because the more they tried the more people would believe it. Second, it was kind of funny.

Okay so only Greg found it funny. Sara was fairly indifferent to the rumors, as she always was, ignored them and went on about her business. Nick, in his first real show of jealousy, hadn't liked it at all.

Coming into the already full conference room Greg and Nick sat down in the only two chairs left.

"Okay," Grissom said as they sat down, "I know we haven't finished our processing of the latest scene but where do we think we're at? How did that partial footprint look?"

"It was a right instead of a left this time," Nick answered, "Ball of the foot, just like the last time and sneaker treads."

"A match from before?" Catherine asked.

"Can't say until I compare them," Nick said with a slight nod, "but visually they looked the same."

"Method of entry?" Grissom asked now.

"Different," Warrick answered, "First two times the guy found an open door or window, this time he had to use force. Broke the window nearest the patio door and then let himself in."

"Neighbors weren't home," Sofia added, "so we don't have any eyewitnesses yet. Brass is still checking into it. Warrick and I are going out again tomorrow afternoon to try as well."

"The kitchen?" Grissom asked turning slightly to Sara.

"Was spotless," she answered evenly, "Guy washed everything down with the cleaners on hand. Took the trash with him."

Grissom turned to look at Greg.

"I checked," he said without being asked, "Garbage runs today, the whole alley was empty. All the cans were turned over."

He nodded and looked back at Sara.

"We know that he's been using a knife from the home, but this time he did something different. The first two times he just cleaned them off like he did the counters, tables, and so on. This time he put it and all the knives in the dishwasher and ran it."

"So he's getting better at it," Catherine said taking it in.

"But not escalating," Sofia added.

"Not yet," Sara said, "But he will. Angela Smith, the victim from last month, was beaten to death before he'd even cut her up. And Amber Clemson tonight…"

Sara stopped; there really was no way to describe it. She was almost unrecognizable as human.

"Rage," Greg whispered under his breath, just loud enough for Sara and Nick whom he was sitting between to hear.

"One month," Grissom continued, "All of three of these murders happened on the fifth."

The all sat in for a moment.

"We have to assume that our perp knows now who their next victim is," Grissom said finally breaking the silence. "That right now he's stalking them, getting ready for the next time. So, what do these women have in common?"

"Well physically nothing," Catherine answered, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"They were all middle class," Warrick provided but knew that too wasn't enough.

"We need to find out if these women had anything in common. Anything," Grissom repeated for emphasis, "We need to go back over the last month of their lives with a fine tooth comb."

Everyone was taking notes now, jotting down the particulars they remembered and the possible leads to exploit.

"What about the pipe?" Catherine asked and to Greg's great surprise she was now looking at him.

"It was in the alley," he answered after clearing his throat, "in the middle of the road."

"Possible prints?" Sofia asked.

"I can try but I don't think so," Greg answered feeling a bit better. For a minute he thought they were going to launch into him about stepping on it. "Nick found a fiber caught in the opening that matched what I found on the broken glass near the patio door."

"What kind of fiber?" Grissom asked.

"Um," Greg hesitated. He didn't know. Didn't know if he was supposed to know. "Not cotton. I took it to trace."

Grissom nodded and said nothing more.

Catherine and he had already decided who was going to work what. They'd all process the scene from tonight, each taking a piece and then they'd break into groups and each review a file.

Catherine and Grissom were taking the murder of Karen Krammer their first and only married victim. Warrick and Sofia would take the second of Angela Smith. Leaving Sara, Nick and Greg to go over the current case of Amber Clemson.

By the time the meeting broke it was nearly three in the morning. Swing shift, having been on for nearly twelve hours now decided collectively to call it a night. Greg didn't get a chance to see Nick before he'd left but assumed it was alright if he came over in the morning.

In reality he knew he didn't need to ask but sometimes he felt he should. They were practically living together but being on separate shifts made it difficult. Nick could never just go home and go right to sleep. Too many midnight shifts had made that impossible, but he usually fell asleep around three each night. Greg usually came by after he got off work and they both slept until about noon. They'd get up, spend part of the day together and if Nick worked that night Greg would go back to his place, maybe take a nap if he had to work that night. If he didn't, he'd wait up until Nick showed after his shift and they'd spend the night there.

It wasn't the best arrangement, but it was working. The best thing about being on different shifts, aside from the fact that Nick was actually willing to give the relationship a try now, was that they had more days off together.

The rest of the night passed quickly. The pipe came back as expected, free of prints. The fibers they'd found came back as polyester. They got a hit off one of the knives but the sample was too degraded to type.

Greg was eager to get out of there. Eager to sleep. He hoped he'd be able to shut his eyes and not relive it all but wasn't sure that would be possible. Saying a quick goodbye to Sara in the parking garage, he sped out of there like a man on a mission.

Nick lived closer to the lab than Greg did so it didn't take long to make it there. And he had a key so waking Nick wasn't an issue. Letting himself in he was surprised to find Nick awake, on the couch with his laptop on.

"What did you do?" Nick questioned with a smile, "Run all the reds?"

"I may have bent the speed limit a bit," Greg said putting down his things before sitting next to him on the couch. "Why are you still up?"

"I couldn't sleep," Nick admitted, shutting down the computer and leaning back into the couch.

Greg mimicked the gesture, resting his head against the back of the couch as Nick did. Taking Nick's hand in his and intertwining their fingers with a smile.

"Are you sure you weren't just staying up to make sure I could?" he questioned tilting his head slightly towards him.

"Maybe," Nick said.

"That's sweet."

Nick shook his head at Greg. At his tone. He knew he was being a bit overprotective, that Greg was only calling him on it but he couldn't help it. Last night had been rough on all of them and he knew Greg hadn't seen anything like it before.

"I can handle it," Greg assured him leaning in closer now. "I don't need my hand held."

Nick gave him an inquisitive look before turning his eyes down and holding up their clenched hands.

"Okay that wasn't what I meant," Greg said with a laugh. "I meant that I know that this is part of the job. It isn't pretty. I'm alright."

"I'm just making sure," Nick returned as steadily as he could.

Greg didn't know what to say to that. It was just concern, honest concern, and affecting. He squeezed his hand once and brought his free hand to his face pulling him in for a lingering kiss.

"I am," Greg said when he'd moved away.


End file.
